The Life Heroic 1: A Night At The Opera
by alterguild
Summary: When an attack by the HIVE leaves the west and east Titans with opera tickets, they decide to take the opportunity to enjoy themselves. RobStar, RaeAqua, BBTerra, CyBee, SpeedyJinx. Reviews appreciated. COMPLETE
1. Praeludium

Okay, everyone, this is my first attempt at a Teen Titans fanfic. Hopefully this will be the first installment in a series of 'The Life Heroic' stories. Go easy on me! And naturally, I don't own the Teen Titans.

That said, I proudly present to you...

The Life Heroic

Book 1: A Night At The Opera

* * *

Chapter 1: Praeludium 

Aqualad walked over to the table and sat down with his tuna sandwich across from Robin. Speedy had taken on Beast Boy playing Super Land Racer 4, and was soundly beating him, much to their chagrin.

"So how on earth did the Titans East tower get so much damage?" Robin asked incredulously. Spread in front of him were pictures, showing the tower in question with one end of the T shaped tower blown off and massive damage to the rest of the framework.

"Well, it's interesting. God bless Mas y Menos for trying to learn English on their own, but they mistook the launch button on the T-plane for the word lunch. We were lucky. The contractors say they can repair the damage in a month and the doctors say Mas y Menos will be out of the hospital in about the same time."

Robin arched a masked eye and looked back down at the pictures. "Wow. Well, help yourselves to the guest rooms, naturally. I'll see if I can't call in a favor with Batman and have him do a few patrols down there."

"That would be nice. Things have been almost peaceful since Brother Blood left town. It's nice to get away for a while and visit you guys, even if it is under these circumstances." Aqualad started eating his sandwich and looked around. "One big family."

At that point Cyborg entered, Bumblebee close at his heels. They were discussing, strike that…arguing, about the rims that Cyborg wanted to put on the T-car.

"Look, Sparky, you're planning on blowing how much on something so cosmetic? That car gets banged up every time you take it out on a mission so why do you need custom rims?"

"Why? Why, you ask? That's my baby and those rims would make her the hottest thing on the road. No questions asked! And don't call me Sparky!" Cyborg turned and walked towards the kitchen, the argument continuing.

Robin looked blankly out the window towards the ocean and beyond. "Yes. Family. One big, dysfunctional family." He sighed. "Any more tuna?"

Aqualad nodded.

* * *

"Titans, GO!" 

Robin's command set forth a flurry of activity on all sides. The blue burst of Cyborg's sonic cannon and a barrage of energy arrows rained down on the three HIVE students from behind him. Starfire rose above the group, firing green starbolts down at them. The plan was to back them up, away from the Jump City opera house and back towards the old pier where Raven, Beast Boy, Bumblebee, and Aqualad were waiting to flank them.

It was working fine until Mammoth knocked in a door to a warehouse and the three ran inside. The three titans followed close behind them to flush them out, leaving Starfire to advise the others on what was happening. Once inside the warehouse, the titans split up, weaving carefully between the boxes.

Speedy held his bow with energy arrow drawn, the soft yellow glow serving to illuminate the ground just ahead of him. He walked slowly, keeping his eyes and ears open. A soft rustling sound behind him caused him to whip around quickly, only to reveal a rat scurrying around some crates. Speedy sighed and turned back around, only to be confronted by a small, pink haired girl. She considered him for a second with pink, catlike eyes.

"You're one of those east titans, aren't you?" She said softly, her hands starting to illuminate the surrounding crates with a pink glow.

Speedy nodded. "Yeah, Speedy. You're Jinx, aren't you?"

She nodded, her eyes narrowing. "I'm going to beat you like a redheaded stepchild."

Speedy cocked his head to the side slightly, a look of mild confusion crossing his masked face. "Hey…I resemble that remark."

Now it was Jinx's turn to look confused. She regarded the tall redhead for a second then smiled, eventually laughing softly. Speedy liked the sound and soon found himself joining in. Their eyes met for just a split second and held, they both sighed. Then they fought.

Jinx cast her hexes towards Speedy just as he fired his arrow at her; both rolled to the side causing the other attack to miss. Instead, the attacks hit the support beams behind them. The beams collapsed and there was a very loud groaning sound from above followed by the sound of breaking glass and rending metal.

"Guys, get out of here now, this place is coming down!" Speedy called into his communicator, immediately taking off for the doorway ahead of him. He looked to his side and saw Jinx running just as fast. He looked back toward the door for just a second and then heard her cry out. Turning around, he saw that a piece of falling glass had struck her in the leg, which was now bleeding freely. Jinx lay on the ground, a look of fear in her teary eyes.

Speedy turned around and ran back to her. He grabbed the tiny witch and carried her as he ran towards the door. "It'll be fine, it'll be okay." He held the frightened witch close as he dodged falling beams and shattered crates. He cleared the doorway right as the main support bracings gave way. The roof collapsed completely and hit the ground hard, shattering the pier below. Speedy felt himself falling and threw his cargo ahead of him. He was satisfied to see her land safely ahead of him on the wood of the pier before he fell into the dark water below.

* * *

"Well, that sucked…" Speedy was wrapped in a blanket and had a cup of coffee, both provided by the Jump City police. 

Robin nodded. "No kidding. All that and I can't believe they still got away."

Cyborg looked up, he had been concentrating on putting his left leg back on. "Hey, at least you guys made it out before that warehouse collapsed. Count yourself lucky."

Their discussion of luck was interrupted by a small man; he walked through the police line and came up to them. "Excuse me, titans, but my name is David Meyer and I am the director of the Jump City Opera. We wanted you all to have these VIP box seat tickets to opening night next week in thanks for protecting the opera house." He smiled and held out an envelope.

Robin took the envelope and looked inside. "Ummm…thank you. What's the production?"

"The Mastersingers of Nuremberg."

Speedy perked. "Sweet! We have to go. It's a good opera."

Aqualad walked over, a cup of coffee in his hands, too. "What's it about?"

"Simply put, the guy wants the girl but in order to marry her he has to win a master singing contest. He tries to learn the rules, fails, but when it comes time for him to sing, he sings from his heart and sings so well that he wins and gets the girl. It's a nice little story."

Aqualad shrugged. "I'm in."

Robin nodded and turned to the opera director. "A little culture would do us some good, thank you."

* * *

Mammoth and Gizmo waited outside the headmistress' office, they were waiting for Jinx to get out of the infirmary before they went in. Soon enough, the door from the hall opened and Jinx hobbled in on crutches, her left leg heavily bandaged. She glared at the other two. 

"Not one word…" She threatened.

Gizmo put up his hands in surrender and stood up. Together the three of them walked into the headmistress' office. Before they even reached the three chairs in front of her desk, they were already being berated.

"I'm going to pretend that the Titans didn't defeat you this time. I'm going to ignore that completely. But what excuse do you have for putting the opera house in danger?" She didn't bother to wait for their response. "No excuse at all. Since the Titans defeated Slade we haven't had the financial resources to restore the arts department at the academy. Blood didn't help out in that regard, either. I see now what a mistake it has been, even as villains you have to respect the arts. So I have a new assignment for you."

Jinx paled. "An assignment? I can barely walk, let alone go on a mission or fight!"

The headmistress sighed. "No, not that kind of assignment. You three are to go to the opera on opening night and then write a ten page report on it. That will be next Friday, so I want it on my desk by Monday morning. You'll receive a mission briefing, tickets, and a dispensation from the academy coffers for suitable formalwear. That is all."

The three students rose quietly and walked towards the door in shock, none more so than Gizmo. In the hall he just stood still, staring straight ahead.

"Why do we have to go to the cruddy opera? This is going to suck!"

Jinx winced. "I don't care. I need to get off this leg."

Mammoth smiled, however. "I get to wear a tuxedo…"


	2. Is This The Real Life?

Sadly, I still don't own Teen Titans...

* * *

Chapter Two: Is This The Real Life?

The danger was over and life had returned to normal at the crowded tower in the bay. Or at least it was crowded, Starfire told herself, when everyone was here. Starfire had woken up from a nap and come out of her room to find the tower deserted. The notes left on the fridge told her that everyone was out, having fun, and would be back relatively soon.

She replaced the last note on the fridge and opened the door. She would watch television and have herself a bottle of mustard. But there was no mustard in either the fridge, or in the pantry closet, or anywhere else in the tower. She sighed softly, looking for something else that she would enjoy. Finally she came upon a bottle with a clear liquid and a strange word on the label, she struggled to pronounce it.

"Vin…e…gar? Vinegar?" She opened the bottle and smelled it. It smelled wonderful! "Glorious! I have found a new beverage for which to enjoy with the watching of television. But I must remember to tell friend Robin to pick up more mustard for me."

And so on she rambled, taking her prize to the couch and turning on the television. Soon she was watching her favorite show on fungus and half the bottle of vinegar was gone. Starfire was feeling very happy and a little fuzzy, almost like her head was spinning.

She giggled. "Truly this vinegar is a wonderful beverage."

Robin was the first one home a short while later. He could hear Star giggling in the living room and went to see what was so funny.

"Hey Star, I'm back. I got you some mustard, I saw we were out of it." He looked around for her, but all he saw was a pair of purple boots over the back of the couch, eventually they disappeared with a thump and Starfire popped up, wobbling slightly and hiccupping.

"Oh, friend Robin, you have returned! Most glorious…but why are there three of you?" She was slurring her words, and then she screwed up her brows in concentration. "Friend Robin, I do not feel well."

Robin approached her quickly and looked at her, she was sweating slightly and her jade green eyes were glassy. She reeked of vinegar. He looked at her questioningly.

"Starfire, have you been drinking?"

"Only this glorious beverage called vinegar which I found in the closet." She pointed to the empty bottle and fell over, landing on the sofa and moaning before shooting up and flying towards the bathroom. "Oh no…"

Robin winced at the sounds that came next, walking slowly to the bathroom and kneeling behind her as he held her long, red hair back. The smell of vinegar was overpowering, but he stayed with her to the end. "Come on, girl, let's get you into bed."

He helped her rinse her mouth out and then lifted her up, carrying her to her room. He set her down on her bed and covered her with her pink comforter and went to the library to retrieve a book. Robin returned with something that he had picked up from his mentor, who had gotten it from the Green Lantern. It was the English translation of the Tameranean anatomy text, Greyfire's Anatomy.

Robin sat back down on the edge of Starfire's bed and opened the thick volume of text and diagrams. He looked through the index until he found what he was looking for, acetic acid. He flipped to the page and read:

"The Tameranean organism processes acetic acid in the upper eighteen inches of the small intestines. The major byproduct of the reaction is ethyl alcohol."

Robin looked at the reaction diagram underneath the text and sighed. Starfire was most definitely drunk.

* * *

Robin nudged Starfire awake, holding a glass of water for her. "Come on, Star, you've had a bit too much vinegar. You need to start drinking water now."

Starfire moaned and looked up at Robin with her bright green eyes. She was still very drunk and slurring her words. "What is vinegar, anyway?"

"Acetic acid. I think the Tameranean translation is morlax."

Starfire closed her eyes and started crying. "Oh, friend Robin, this is most awful. The drinking of so much morlax by one as young as myself is known as being snarfloxed. It is a sign of bad breeding. Girls like that are not courted by boys." She took his hand and held on tight, her teary eyes looking up at his masked ones. "Please do not dislike me."

Robin looked down at her and placed a gentle kiss on her forehead. "I couldn't dislike you if I tried."

Starfire closed her eyes again, murmuring softly as she drifted back to sleep. "That is good, friend Robin, for I wish you to love me one day."

Robin sat still for a moment, contemplating what he had just heard. Since he had met this girl he had known his feelings for her and hers for him. They had just never said anything about it. He lay back and put his arms around Starfire, in her sleep she nestled into his embrace. Robin could feel sleep pulling at him as well.

Things would be very different when they woke up.


	3. Is This Just Fantasy?

Nuts...still don't own the Titans.

* * *

Chapter Three: Is This Just Fantasy?

It was Speedy who noticed it first. He was rummaging through the cabinets, trying desperately to find coffee and failing miserably. Finally, he came to the conclusion that there was no coffee to be had in the tower. Towards the end of his search, he had heard the voices of Starfire and Robin enter the room. He turned towards them now, sighing miserably.

"You guys are…holding hands?" He perked up, incredulous and happy at the same time. "You're holding hands! You're finally dating! Thank God! This is great!" His tone of voice darkened quickly to become as sinister as any of Raven's bad moods. "Where is the coffee?"

"No coffee, Speedy. I think I used the last of it last night to get Star over her vinegar hangover."

Starfire nodded, her voice cheerful, but strangely subdued as she looked at Robin. "Yes. Many cups of your wonderful beverage made from ground beans helped greatly with the aching of the head." She leaned in and gave Robin a soft kiss. "And it gave Robin and I lots of time to talk about other things."

Speedy didn't ask.

Aqualad was the next to come in. "Hey guys, why does the bathroom smell like vinegar?"

Raven and Beast Boy followed behind him. The changeling's eyes grew wide. "Forget the bathroom…why are Robin and Star holding hands?"

Raven sighed and caught the teabag that Speedy flicked towards her. "I should think it's obvious to anyone with half a brain."

Aqualad glanced questioningly at the box of tea and Raven nodded. He, too, pulled out a teabag. "Key phrase there, Raven. Half a brain."

Beast Boy sweat dropped and opened the fridge, grumbling something about tofu over tea.

Speedy sighed and pulled his coat from the closet. "Tea may be fine for you, Raven, but I need coffee. Oh, and you're down to five bags, want me to pick you up more?"

Raven nodded. "Same kind. Take the box if you need to."

Aqualad perked. "See if you can find that Kenyan kind I like. I can't stand that stuff you drink."

Robin shook his head. "You guys and your specialty coffees. Just get me the cheap stuff."

Speedy rolled his eyes. "Oh go kiss your girlfriend." Robin did so and everyone started muttering random comments, all along the same line. Get a room. Speedy laughed and pocketed Raven's tea box as he walked out the door.

* * *

Whenever Speedy was in Jump City visiting the west titans he always saw fit to visit a little shop called Jump City Coffee and Tea Service. It had a vast selection, good prices, and on top of that, a discount for cops, firefighters, and superheroes. 

The little bell over the door jingled as he entered and started wandering through the different types and blends of coffee and tea. He found Raven's herbal tea easily, then Robin's cheap stuff, next was Aqualad's Kenyan blend. He couldn't stand the stuff. Now he only had to find his own type of coffee, a dark chocolate mocha roast. He turned the corner into the next aisle and saw it high up on the top shelf. But below the prized coffee, struggling to reach the top shelf while balancing on crutches, was a small, pink haired girl with a thick wrapping of bandages on her leg.

Speedy sighed and walked up behind her. He placed one hand on her hip and reached over top of her to grab two bags of the coffee beans. He could feel the girl startle and then turn around. She looked up with big, pink cat eyes and he could almost have sworn that she looked pleased to see him.

He held out the bag of coffee for her and smiled a little. "Truce?"

Jinx smiled shyly and took the bag out of his hand. Her voice was soft and silky as she looked into his masked eyes. "I suppose. I am injured, after all. It would be unfair of you to take advantage of me in this situation, wouldn't it?"

Speedy stifled a laugh. "No one told me you were funny, or that you liked good coffee."

"No one ever took the time to figure out that I was funny or liked good coffee."

Speedy shook his head and reached down, grabbed the few bags that Jinx had accumulated elsewhere, and walked with her up to the register to pay for his purchases. They moved through the line quickly and soon were back out on the street in front of the coffee shop.

"So, what brings you away from the academy today? Besides coffee."

Jinx sighed and put a crutch up to hail a cab. "Just some dry cleaning. And to get some new stockings, I ripped my last pair the other day. Stupid warehouse…"

"Don't complain, you didn't end up in the water."

Jinx looked up and arched an eyebrow. "And I suppose you want me to thank you?"

Speedy shook his head as a cab pulled up. "I don't ask for miracles." He opened the door for her and helped her in.

Before he could close the door, Jinx had grabbed him lightly by the collar of his jacket and pulled his head into the cab and put her lips close to his ear. "Thanks, for everything."

Speedy smiled and took her hand, placing a soft kiss on it before stepping back and closing the cab door. The bright yellow vehicle sped off and he turned to walk back towards the tower. He put his hands in the pockets of his jacket and felt a piece of paper. He pulled it out and looked at it, it was a receipt from the coffee shop with a phone number written on it. Above the number, in a heart, was the name Jinx. Speedy let out a laugh and lifted his masked eyes to the sky.

She'd fine the receipt from the coffee shop with his phone number on it soon enough.


	4. Caught In A Landslide

Again and sadly, I still don't own the Teen Titans. Oh, and please feel free to review. I like the feedback.

* * *

Chapter Four: Caught In A Landslide

Beast Boy was torpid from the tofu and, for once, was content to rest on the couch watching the television. Raven and Aqualad had taken up the booth near the kitchen and were talking in hushed tones about who knows what. Apart from that, all was calm in the main room of the tower.

Speedy entered and waved a greeting to Beast Boy and the green titan returned it lazily. The masked titan then tossed a box of tea and a bag of coffee into the air randomly. Both were caught in a black aura and levitated over to the booth. The other two titans expressed their thanks and Speedy flashed them a thumbs up before starting up the coffee machine with his own brew.

Beast Boy got up and wandered to his room. Everyone thought he just sat around playing video games all day, but for the better part of the last year he had been working day and night, struggling with a topic he had never before even considered to be important. Geology.

In his room, sitting at his desk, Beast Boy started his computer and stared for a second at the picture that stared back at him. Terra… He thought back to when that picture had been taken. Terra had snuck up behind him while he was talking to Cyborg and wrapped her arms around his chest as she stood behind him. The wind was strong and her long, blonde hair billowed out around her like a halo. Cyborg had liked the look and taken a picture with the camera in his arm. Terra had framed it herself and given it to him just before the battle with Slade…before everything went downhill.

He shook the thoughts out of his head. She had made a bad decision, but she certainly wasn't a bad person. She had proven herself in the last minutes of the battle and proved that she was truly a titan. They had all worked hard for the first few months to find a way to free her from her rock statue, but one by one they had started to fade, moving on to other concerns or with life in general. All except for Beast Boy.

When he applied himself, he learned quickly and completely. He was the son of genetic scientists, after all. Certainly he was no mental slouch, even if he did act like it on a constant basis. He had soaked in volumes of text on geology, geophysics, and volcanology. He retained everything. But it was something he saw on a bad television movie that gave him the best idea yet.

Volcanic eruptions were preceded by resonance waves in the rock surrounding the volcano. If he could find the right resonance frequency, maybe he could bring her back. He had run a computer simulation and found out that it was feasible, so he would now have to run a real test. In one of the drawers of his desk was a box with a wispy stone in it. He had gone to Terra's statue and slowly, carefully, chipped off a small piece of her hair to run tests with. Now he just needed a source of sound waves at the proper frequency.

In the computer database he pulled up every file he could find on his best friend, Cyborg. Sure enough, in one of the classified technical files, he found the frequency range for his main weapon, his arm mounted sonic cannon. With a few modifications, he could easily adapt the weapon to his needs. Beast Boy knew that his friend would gladly give up his right arm for this project, but this was his mission, his love. He was working alone, just this once. He would have to work quietly, stealthily, and very fast.

* * *

Night fell on the tower and in his room, Beast Boy checked over the instructions for detaching his friend's cybernetic arm. He sat on the corner of his bed, dressed in a version of his normal outfit, but this outfit being totally black. When his bedside clock struck two, he put on a black stocking cap and gloves and opened his door. To avoid detection in the hall, he shifted into a moth and fluttered down to the door marked Cyborg. A change into a worm, a slip through the door, and he was in.

His friend lay on his platform, recharging. His cybernetic eye was dulled and his human eye closed, the only difference between this and sleeping was the heavy duty power cable attached to his chest. Beast Boy sighed as he opened a tool kit and took the few tools he needed and set to work. Soon, he was able to sling the heavy metal arm over his shoulder. He took a few battery packs from the table and placed them in his bag with the tools.

"I'm sorry, Cy. I know you'll understand why I have to do this, but I don't think you'd let me do this on my own. I have to do this for her. I'll bring your arm back, I promise." He sighed and turned, softly sliding the door open and carefully heading downstairs. With the heavy load he carried, he was stuck in human form until he got outside.

Once outside the tower, however, it was all pterodactyl from the island to the side of the volcanic mountain where Terra's statue stood. He landed and changed to his human form before he walked up to her statue and gave her a quick kiss, the kiss he had never given her. He then sat down and began the task of hooking the arm to the battery packs and changing the sonic cannon's frequency.

"Soon. Very soon now, Terra."

* * *

Beast Boy checked his watch; it was almost four o'clock. He had finished rigging the sonic cannon to the batteries and was ready to test the frequency. He placed the wispy rock on the ground and pointed the cannon at it and fired. Instead of the normal blue beam that it usually emitted, the beam was bright red. Beast Boy was temporarily blinded by the bright light but when he turned off the beam, the rock he had aimed for was no longer there. In its place were a few strands of silky blonde hair.

He stood there for a long while looking at what had happened, and then he turned to the statue of Terra. He took a few steps back and set the aperture of the beam to it's widest setting. He test fired it to make sure that all of her would be covered by the beam. One final check of his battery pack and he was ready to fire. He said a little prayer and squeezed the trigger. The bright red light shone brightly in the dark.

For a long time it seemed like nothing was happening. The rock in front of him only glowing a bright red in the light emitted from the cannon. The relative calm changed very quickly as the ground around him started to shake. Beast Boy kept the cannon level, he knew the earthquake meant the beam was working. Terra looked almost like she was shivering as her statue shook. He could have sworn that he saw her head move a little.

What happened next was unexpected. For a few seconds, he could hear the sound of breaking rocks. Cracks started to appear on the façade of Terra's statue. He closed his eyes and kept his finger on the trigger. He heard the rock in front of him crumble and he shut off the beam. He was slow to open his eyes. In front of him he saw nothing, only a pile of dust.

Beast Boy shrank and dropped to his knees, a sob trying to escape his throat. He had been wrong after all. He lowered his head to cry, but before the tears could come, he felt two soft arms wrap around his neck. "So…what did I miss?"

Beast Boy looked down at the familiar gloved hands and leaned against her arm. "About a year. Robin and Star are together, and now you and I are, too. Provided you still want me."

Terra smiled and sat beside him. Beast Boy leaned in slowly, his arms wrapping around her waist. She looked him square in the eye, her bright blue eyes shining with happiness. They came together. Their kiss, so long delayed, was worth the wait. "Of course I do, silly. It's the ears, remember?"

* * *

Cyborg was livid. "For the last time, Starfire, my arms just don't magically pop off during the night and walk around on their own. The only time they can do that is when I am consciously controlling them! Now somebody help me find my right arm!"

Aqualad looked up from his coffee. "You have no idea where you left it?"

Cyborg glared and pointed his left arm sonic cannon at him. "Alright, fish man, that's enough of your lefty jokes."

"I'm just saying you might have misplaced it. It might not be some sinister plot to disarm you."

Cyborg fired his cannon, shattering Aqualad's coffee mug. "Sinister is Latin for left, don't think I don't know. Now help me look for it."

The door opened behind them all and Beast Boy entered sheepishly, his hand behind his head and a telltale metallic hand sticking from his backpack. "Umm…Cy, I think I might have what you're looking for…"

Cyborg screamed. "My arm! You found my arm! And you screwed it all up! What on earth did you do with my arm? You have three seconds." He leveled his left arm at Beast Boy's head and started counting. "One…two…"

At this point Terra walked casually into the room. "He got me out of that rock. I think I'll keep him." She kissed the green elf on the cheek. "Got any coffee?"

Robin, Starfire, and Cyborg all stared. Raven had succeeded at choking on her tea. Robin recovered first and pointed at Terra, trying to put his mind around what was right in front of him. "But…you…Slade…volcano…"

Raven had coughed up the tea with the help of Aqualad pounding on her back. She looked at the geomancer with wide, violet eyes. "Beast Boy…thought…"

Beast Boy slipped from Cyborg's line of fire. "Yeah, I found a way to get her out. It was easy once I put my mind to it. And none of your sarcasm, Raven." He crossed the room and grabbed the phone and phone book. "I need to call that opera guy and see if I can get another ticket for Terra."

Terra joined Beast Boy and sat down beside him. She looked to the ground and thought for a while, then spoke slowly. "I have no right to ask you guys to take me back again, but I would like it if I could get some help taking this control suit off. I don't want Slade ever having any chance to use me ever again."

Robin looked over to Cyborg, both nodded. Cyborg took the backpack from Beast Boy. "We'll get started as soon as I've got ten fingers again. Beast Boy, you know better than I do what changes you made to my arm. Help me out here…if you can separate yourself from goldilocks for a minute."

Raven and Starfire looked to Robin and nodded. Robin walked over to the computer and took a spare communicator from a drawer. He turned to Terra and held it out to her.

"We didn't touch your room. Welcome home."


	5. No Escape From Reality

Hurray for reviews! Thank you, Marta. I still don't own the Titans.That said, on with the show.

* * *

Chapter Five: No Escape From Reality

Aqualad was unfortunate enough to currently miss two homes. First, of course, Atlantis and secondly, the east tower. West tower was just as nice, the same down to the letter, except for one small detail. The hot tub in the east tower didn't use chlorine; he could breath in that hot tub.

He walked through the tower in his swim trunks and a t-shirt with a towel slung over his shoulder. Looking in the main room he saw the two resident couples on the sofa watching a movie. Robin had his arm around Star and she was leaning against him. Beast Boy was in the form of a kitten and resting on Terra's lap, purring loudly. Speedy and Cyborg were in the kitchen repairing the massively overused coffee machine. Hopefully they'd have that ready by morning. He continued walking.

It had taken him a while, but he had drained the hot tub on the roof and refilled it with seawater. He would have to refill the tub after he was done, but it was a small price to pay for this exquisite luxury. He stuck his head below the surface and took a few deep breaths and held them. No burning in his lungs or gills, he was going to be fine.

He slid into the hot water and sunk below the surface, resting on the bottom of the pool and looking up. Cyborg had made the jets himself so they were virtually silent. Aqualad closed his eyes and was almost asleep when he felt a disturbance above him. Entering the water and sliding down the side to sit down was a pair of slender, pale legs. The black bikini gave it away; Raven was joining him.

Aqualad slowly rose to the surface and brought his eyes out of the water. Raven blinked at him and said something, but he couldn't hear her. So he brought his entire head out of the water. His first breath of air was ragged as he cleared the water from his lungs. "What did you say?"

Raven smiled slightly, the corner of her mouth lifting just a little. "I said don't get up."

Aqualad nodded. "Oh." He turned his back to her, and grabbed his towel to dry his face off. He heard a sharp gasp from behind him and turned around. "Oh…sorry, I forget sometimes."

Raven looked at him wide eyed. He knew the question, it was written all over her face. "Are those your…?"

"Gills. Yes." He hesitated for a second, and then slowly turned around, sitting back down with his back to her. On both sides of his back, in the spaces between the ribs, were thin slits that dripped water. The top overlapped the bottom and when he exhaled, they opened slightly to reveal the bright pink interior. "You can touch them if you want."

Raven slowly brought her hand up and ran it down his back, feeling the ridges created by the repetition of rib and gill. Aqualad turned his back to the wall of the hot tub and looked out towards the ocean. "I didn't mean to startle you, I don't ever show them off."

Raven followed his gaze out to sea. "They're beautiful, actually."

Aqualad chuckled. "And unique. At least here they're unique. So I guess we share two similar qualities. You are unique and beautiful, as well.

Raven sunk a little deeper into the water of the hot tub, hoping she could use the steam as an excuse for why her cheeks felt so flushed just now. The last few days, she and Aqualad had been virtually inseparable. They didn't usually talk much but they were always together. She felt so comfortable around him. She had even let him bring her a cup of tea in her room. But it was always a bad idea for her to get comfortable around anyone.

She decided to play down the compliment. "Yeah, if you mean unique as creepy and beautiful as freakishly gothic."

Aqualad narrowed his eyes. "Hush. The more I get to know about you, the more I like you." He turned his head and met her eyes, coal black meeting soft violet. "I might not understand you completely, but I want to try."

Raven was shocked. She knew that with her friends she wasn't alone, that was a comfort she was grateful for. But it wasn't often that someone told her they wanted to understand her, let alone tried to. This, too, was a bad idea. There were too many secrets, too many untold horrors that she held. And the last time she had let someone get that close he had broken her heart.

She shook her head softly, clearing her thoughts and looking away from the Atlantian. "No, you don't want to get to know me."

He sighed and slid back below the surface of the water. Inside Raven's mind, though, she heard his voice. "You know as well as I do that that is a lie."

Raven startled and looked down into the water. He was resting at the bottom of the hot tub, his black eyes looking up at her. He waved. "Can you hear me now?" She nodded slowly. "Good."

"But how can I hear you?"

Underwater, Aqualad laughed. "Well, my telepathic abilities are usually limited to aquatic animals. But you're a telepath, too. All you have to do is be in the same body of water as me and we have a connection. He surfaced and kept his mouth shut. "Even when we can talk normally."

She glared at him sternly. She was scared now. What if he already knew? "If you can read my thoughts, why haven't you yet?"

Aqualad leaned back against the wall next to her and shrugged. "Fish are easy to read. Marine mammals are harder, they think more. But I've never met anyone like you, so I wouldn't even know where to begin. And I wouldn't even dare. I wouldn't insult you by taking anything you didn't want to give me in the first place."

Raven looked out towards the sea with a distant expression on her face. This was Aqualad, whom she had known for years now. He wouldn't betray her like that cursed dragon. He wouldn't hurt her like her father. She knew she could trust all her friends with anything, even the prophecy surrounding her, but something about Aqualad made trust so much easier. After a long time, Raven finally closed her eyes and leaned over towards Aqualad. Her head came to rest on his shoulder. "Give me time?"

"All the time you need."

* * *

It was late, far too late. Aqualad heard the knock on his door and groaned, the clock beside the bed stated that it was three in the morning. He opened the door and leaned heavily against the doorjamb, not bothering to notice whom he was addressing. "You're lucky I wasn't sleeping in the bathtub tonight. This had better be really important." 

Raven lowered the hood of her cloak and held her arms out, revealing the fact that beneath the cloak she was in her bikini. "Put your trunks on and meet me in the hot tub. The water is ready for you." With that she levitated up and through the ceiling, headed for the roof.

Aqualad blinked, suddenly awake, Raven and her bikini driving away any lingering desire to go back to sleep. He quickly changed and silently ran through the halls of the tower, careful not to wake anyone else up. He reached the roof and walked towards the hot tub, all was dark except for the few soft underwater lights in the hot tub. They were more than enough to illuminate the girl that awaited him.

She didn't turn around as he approached. "What took you so long?"

He slipped into the water next to her. "Not all of us can float, fly, or walk through walls."

Her next words were in his head. "So…what do you want to know about me?"

He replied likewise. "Anything you want to tell me. I just don't want to feel like we're total strangers all the time."

Raven nodded and closed her eyes. When she opened them again, they were glowing white. "You won't feel the same way about me once you know the truth." She took his hands in hers and narrowed her eyes. "Azarath Metrion Zinthos." Raven's voice echoed and her eyes turned pitch black as her eyes became his.

Then it began.

It lasted only a few seconds, but it seemed like longer for Aqualad. He saw through Raven's eyes. Her mother, her father, her home of Azarath. Her time with the titans, her emotions through her mirror, her time with Malchior. And then Slade, the prophecy, the rivers of fire and flesh turned to stone. Aqualad screamed and fell backward into the water.

* * *

When Aqualad woke up, he tried to remember where he was. It was warm and he was underwater. Perhaps the volcanic vents near Atlantis? No, the water didn't smell like sulfur. He was comfortable, the pillow supporting his head was soft and smooth, and he was holding something. 

He opened his eyes, looking up through the water. Above him, looking down through the water was Raven, it was her lap he rested upon and it was her hand that he was holding. He relaxed again, closing his eyes. "Was I out long?"

"Not long."

He kept her hand in his, but rose from the water and sat beside her. He stared out across the dark ocean and thought for a moment. "So…you'll bring about the end of the world someday?"

Raven only nodded, if she tried to say anything the tears would come. She knew what was coming next. He would tell her she was a demonic terror, that she had no right to be a titan. He would get up and leave her all alone again.

He squeezed her hand lightly. "I guess we should enjoy the time we have together, then. Yes?"

Raven's normally calm voice was choked by a sob. One of the many transmitter towers atop the tower bent into an unusual shape at the emotional outburst. "That's all you have to say?"

Aqualad sighed and pulled her head down so she was resting on his shoulder again. "Look, out of anyone you could have told all this to, an Atlantian was the best choice. We're masters of avoiding inevitable destruction. Massive cataclysm destroys your civilization and sinks your city below the water? No problem! You grow a set of gills and start all over again. The girl you like is destined to destroy the world? No problem! You work something out."

Raven was still crying, but she was laughing now. The transmitter tower bent itself right again. "You are something else."

Aqualad leaned over and kissed the top of her head. "I think you mean I'm unique. Would you like to hear about Atlantis?"

Raven nodded, and Aqualad shared his memories of his home with her until the sun rose over the sea.


	6. Open Your Eyes

Yes, so far all the chapter titleshave been lines from Queen's "Bohemian Rhapsody" from the album "A Night at the Opera". The significance of this information will become clear within the next few chapters.

But for now, I don't own the Titans, and enjoy!

* * *

Chapter Six: Open Your Eyes 

Cyborg was on the roof of the tower, dressed in his apron and a chef's hat. In front of him was a grill of his own design. Massive and powerful, this baby could put out more heat than anything commercially available. It was perfect for the huge rack of barbeque ribs he had on it, and the burgers and hotdogs, and the tofu something that Beast Boy insisted on.

Speedy stood beside him, kicking back a root beer in a longneck bottle. They were watching as Raven lowered a hot tub shaped volume of seawater into the hot tub. Aqualad was standing opposite her, helping her guide it in. They weren't really paying attention to him, though.

Cyborg spoke up first, choosing his words carefully. "Raven in a bikini is…"

Speedy finished. "Nice?"

"Unexpected."

A flame shot up, engulfing the food on the grill. Speedy looked down. "Flame on." Cyborg flipped some of the burgers and returned his attention to the Atlantian and the Azarathian.

Cyborg flipped some of the things on the grill. "You sure they're an item now?"

Speedy nodded. As if to answer the question, Raven walked around to Aqualad and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Another flame shot up on the grill, whether it was the result of something catching fire or a random emotion from Raven, no one knew.

At that point, Speedy's cell phone went off. He looked at the screen and smiled brightly. He flipped it open and the tone of his voice indicated he was obviously speaking to someone female. Cyborg could only hear half of the conversation. "Yes, hello? Well, fancy you calling me of all people. Oh, nothing much, just on the roof grillin' like a villain. You don't? You should, or maybe you just aren't one after all?" At this point he walked to a corner of the tower to take the call.

Cyborg was left wondering what all that was about when Bumblebee walked up and grabbed a drink from the cooler. "Hey Sparky, how much longer do we have to wait for something to eat?"

Cyborg gritted his teeth. "Longer than if you don't call me Sparky. A whole lot longer."

The wind blew the smoke off the grill towards Bumblebee who deployed her wings and with a soft buzzing sound blew the smoke in a different direction, away from both her and Cyborg. He noticed this and let out a slight laugh. "You know, they say smoke follows beauty."

Bee slowed her wings for a second, looking at him strangely. "Cyborg, I do believe that that is the nicest thing you've ever said to me."

Cyborg looked up from the ribs. "Hmmm? Oh, no, you're pushing the smoke over towards Starfire." Starfire and Robin were playing volleyball against Beast Boy and Terra. Bee glared at the metallic man. He put up his hands in defeat. "Kidding…just kidding."

Bee walked off and Speedy returned, picking up another bottle of root beer. "What was that all about?"

Cyborg sighed. "Don't know, don't care to know."

"Ahh, all becomes clear. You are desirous of the woman who stings."

Cyborg turned his cybernetic eye towards the archer. "You sure you're drinking root beer?"

Speedy put up his hands and walked away. "Robin has Star, BB has Terra, and Aqualad has Raven. All I'm saying is that everyone else has a date to the opera next week."

"Not everyone. You're as single as I am."

Speedy held up his cell phone again. "Don't worry about me. I've got it all worked out."

* * *

Cyborg sat in the living room, the screen in front of him showing a mass of cars as he played Super Land Racer 4 in single player mode. Normally he would have competition, but the three resident couples were out doing whatever couples do and Speedy had gone into town. The fact that Cyborg was alone in the tower with Bee did not escape his brain, either human or machine. 

It wasn't long, either, before she came up to the living room and started rummaging around in the kitchen. He was trying to concentrate on his game, but she called out across the room. "You want something to eat?"

Cyborg's blue car crashed into a wall. He sighed and got up. "Yeah, food would be good. What were you thinking of?"

She shrugged, her wings ruffling a little. "Well, there are still leftovers from last night, or we can go out."

Cyborg opened the refrigerator. Inside, the all encompassing blue mold was moving inexorably towards the new additions on the shelf. One day he would have to incorporate some form of antifungal or trash removing device into the fridge. Not today. "Let's go out. Pizza?"

"Half meat, half vegetable."

Cyborg blinked. "When did you become the reasonable one?"

"Hush, you. We'll take your car. I want to see those new rims that you just had to buy."

Cyborg shook his head and started walking towards the elevator. "You're going soft on me, you know."

She nodded slowly. "Is that going to be a problem?"

"No. It ought to be a welcome change."

"I thought so, too."

* * *

Dinner went well for them. Small talk came easily and laughter came quickly. It was still early in the evening and they had decided on a walk around the park. They had found an ice cream cart and were walking away from it with frozen treats in hand when they saw it, towering before them. Bee spoke first. 

"That is the biggest swing set I've ever seen."

Cyborg nodded silently. "That's gotta break a city ordinance." There was a pause and then he walked towards it. "C'mon, I'll push you."

"You're not going to swing?"

Cyborg sighed and lifted his foot, the soft ground beneath had compressed into a perfect image of his footprint. "Not tonight."

Bee took a seat, arranging her wings behind her. "You know, it's easy to forget about that sometimes."

Cyborg stood behind her and gently pushed her, making sure to use a human amount of force so as not to send her rocketing back towards the tower. "Easy for you to say. You don't stick a power cord into your chest every night."

"You're more human than machine. Everyone knows that. You're a far better friend than any toaster oven could ever be."

Cyborg stood stock still and blinked. "Thank you?"

Bee nodded. "You're welcome."

Time passed, the sun dropping lower on the horizon, turning the sky into a palette of reds and oranges. Finally, Bee spoke up. "Big push."

Cyborg gave a big push and at the apex, Bee pushed off from the swing and took flight. She swung around and landed beside him and placed her hand in the crook of his arm. "Let's go home." Cyborg nodded.

* * *

They arrived back at the tower some time later. The three resident couples were sitting on the couch and Speedy was in the kitchen. He looked up and being the only one noticing them enter, saw it first. He smiled at Cyborg who winked in return. 

The metallic man laughed and pointed at the archer. "And then there was one."

Speedy just shook his head. "I told you, I'm all taken care of."


	7. Cellular Flashback

Hurray for reviews!

Treasureprotector - Heh, my bad. Everyone makes mistakes, though. Like when you said Titans East Episode 2 instead of Episode 1...

Aurora Maryte - Thank you so much for your kind words. They mean a lot to me. I'm glad that I could put a good spin on both Raven and Aqualad for you. I hope that view stays with you for the rest of this story and those to come.

Stikaiya - Thank you for expressing your opinion. You have every right to it. I hope you enjoy the story, nonetheless.

* * *

This chapter is the continuation of Speedy's phone conversation, hence why it reads the same as the last chapter for the first few lines. Sorry, still don't own the Titans.

* * *

Chapter Seven: Cellular Flashback

Cyborg spoke up first, choosing his words carefully. "Raven in a bikini is…"

Speedy finished. "Nice?"

"Unexpected."

A flame shot up, engulfing the food on the grill. Speedy looked down. "Flame on." Cyborg flipped some of the burgers and returned his attention to the Atlantian and the Azarathian.

Cyborg flipped some of the things on the grill. "You sure they're an item now?"

Speedy nodded. As if to answer the question, Raven walked around to Aqualad and gave him a kiss on the cheek. Another flame shot up on the grill, whether it was the result of something catching fire or a random emotion from Raven, no one knew.

At that point, Speedy's cell phone went off. He looked at the screen and smiled brightly. He flipped it open and the tone of his voice indicated he was obviously speaking to someone female.

"Yes, hello?"

"Very slick, putting your phone number in my bag. If I didn't know better, I'd think you were trying to get a date or something."

"Well, fancy you calling me of all people."

"What can I say? I just can't help myself. What are you up to?"

"Oh, nothing much, just on the roof grillin' like a villain."

"Silly boy, villains don't grill."

"You don't? You should, or maybe you just aren't one after all?" At this point he walked to a corner of the tower to take the call.

* * *

Jinx continued. "Of course I'm not. I'm a villainess." She stated the last word proudly.

"Oh yes, that makes all the difference. What's up with you?"

"Nothing, just thought I'd cause trouble for that pesky redheaded titan."

"Trouble, huh? Well, how about dinner and a movie? You can cause trouble if things go well."

Jinx laughed softly. "Sure, sounds good. But not next Friday, I have a school thing to do. They're making me go to the opera and then write a paper on it. The headmistress got us seats in the VIP box but it's going to be so boring!"

Speedy perked, there were only three VIP boxes in the opera house. This was getting interesting. "The opera? Poor baby. I'm sure you'll survive. Which box are you sitting in?"

"Hang on, let me check." There was the sound like a pile of papers falling over and a muffled curse before Jinx finally took the line again. "Looks like box three. Why?"

Speedy smiled, that was the same box they were in. This was definitely getting interesting. "Oh, no reason. You'll have a great view from up there. I'm sure you'll enjoy yourself."

She scoffed. "Not likely. Not with Gizmo and Mammoth on my tail. Those guys wouldn't know culture if they stepped in it. I'd need to go with someone classy, someone handsome." Her voice became honey sweet and teasing. "Know anyone that fits the bill?"

He sighed, putting on his best fake sorrow. "Don't do this to me, babe. I wish I could, but I've already got plans with the guys. Were it any other night… Besides, you don't want me distracting you when you have a paper to write."

Jinx pouted. "I could still write the paper easy. Besides, if I couldn't, I'd just cheat off one of the boys. But I understand. Saturday, then?"

"Saturday is fine. You like Italian?"

"Love it."

"Six o'clock, Pasta Luna. They've got great lasagna."

Jinx faked a swoon. "Lasagna? My hero! It's a date."

Speedy laughed. "Alright, I ought to get back to the guys. I'm sure we'll talk soon."

"You know it."

"Ciao, babe."

"Bye."

* * *

Speedy turned the corner and saw Bee walking off. He picked up another bottle of root beer. "What was that all about?"

Cyborg sighed. "Don't know, don't care to know."

"Ahh, all becomes clear. You are desirous of the woman who stings."

Cyborg turned his cybernetic eye towards the archer. "You sure you're drinking root beer?"

Speedy put up his hands and walked away. "Robin has Star, BB has Terra, and Aqualad has Raven. All I'm saying is that everyone else has a date to the opera next week."

"Not everyone. You're as single as I am."

Speedy held up his cell phone again. "Don't worry about me. I've got it all worked out."


	8. Formal Where?

Sorry this one is so short, and doubly sorry that I have a hard time describing formalwear. Thanks for the review, rock'n'roll. And nope, I don't own the Titans.

* * *

Chapter Eight: Formal Where?

Starfire walked through the mall, her attention drawn to every flashy storefront and colorful window display. Raven walked in front of her and Terra and Bee to each side to effectively block her in and keep her from running into any other stores.

But still the Tameranean was happy. "Friend Raven, not that I am complaining about the spending of time with you, but it is most unusual for you to be the one to initiate a trip to the mall of shopping. Perhaps you have changed your mind about the wonders of this glorious place?"

"No, Star, no change. But we all need dresses to wear for the opera. None of us have one. You have your prom dress, but you already wore that out with Robin."

Star gasped. "You mean that for this opera we participate in the wearing of pretty dresses and make up and the styling of hair?"

Raven sighed. "Yes, Star."

Four voices chorused the same word, three in a droll tone, one positively exuberant.

"Glorious!"

* * *

Across the mall, the boys were walking towards the tuxedo rental shop. Beast Boy had struck upon an interesting point. "You know, it's strange. We can rent tuxedos any time we want. They're cheap and we just have to turn them back in when we're done. The girls have to buy a new, expensive dress every time they go out. We've got it so easy."

Robin nodded. "Like at the Oscars, no one pays much attention to what the guys wear, a tuxedo is a tuxedo."

They entered the store and looked around, flipping through the different catalogues of designs and deciding what they wanted. Bow tie or Windsor knot, vest or cummerbund. Simple choices, to be sure.

* * *

Were it not near prom season, the girls would have had a more difficult time finding dresses. As it was, they were inundated with choices. Starfire wanted something purple, but had to be talked out of one that revealed her midriff.

Bee had been apologetic; she would have to make the same sacrifice. "Star, that's not really appropriate for the opera."

Star hung up her choice sadly, but quickly found another purple dress that caught her interest. It was nearly similar to her ill fated prom dress in a deep purple silk, but swept lower and relied upon spaghetti straps that crossed behind her back to stay up. She already had the gloves and shoes for it. She tried it on and found that it was, indeed, glorious.

Raven had settled on something in a light blue. She intended on wearing her cloak with it, and with the way things were going with Aqualad, if she wanted her cloak to match her dress she would need a lighter color than usual. The dress she found was a sky blue that shimmered in the right light. It was oriental in style and had the high collar that she liked. She tried on a pair of high heeled shoes and walked around a little. Even if she couldn't walk in them, she could always hover.

Terra chose something in a dark green. She and Beast Boy had discussed it and they decided to match dress to vest to Beast Boy. She went simple, dark green silk that hugged her curves tightly, a low neckline, and a slit to mid thigh with a pair of high black heels. She worked the heels like a model, much to everyone else's amazement and confusion.

Bee went for something black with a low cut back to accommodate her wings. Each dress she tried on had one requirement, she had to be able to take off and land in it. She finally found a nice one with enough wing room that looked wonderful in the front, too. A pair of shoes, and she was done.

* * *

They met the boys in the food court. In the time that they had waited, they had found nachos. Judging from the many empty boxes in front of them, they had found lots and lots of nachos.

Beast Boy perked as they approached. "Dude, finally, you've been gone forever."

Terra sat on his lap and wrapped her arms around his neck. "Hush, it only felt like that. You boys ready to get back to the tower? Mall life doesn't seem to agree with Raven."

Raven had put her hood up and was standing next to Aqualad. Her cloak completely covered her except for the small gap where his arm went in to wrap around her. She had closed her eyes and was leaning heavily against the Atlantian, who held both of their bags in his other hand.

Aqualad smiled. "Nah, she's just tired. Too much excitement." A soft nod from the blue cloaked figure indicated her assent. Maybe it was just the light, but to everyone it looked like her cloak had softened in color a bit.


	9. My Apologies To Wayne And Garth

Thank you for the review, inu. I'm glad you like it.

Now, a word on this chapter. I'm sorry if it doesn't read smoothly at the end but it is very hard to use the written word to capture the effect of singing along with the radio. You'll see what I mean. I hope you like it.

I don't own the Titans, or Bohemian Rhapsody, or Wayne's World. You'll see what I mean...

* * *

Chapter Nine: My Apologies to Wayne and Garth

The voice was crisp and clean from the living room. Speedy, in tuxedo with red vest and bow tie, had long since finished fixing his hair and had been playing Land Speed Racer 4 for the last twenty minutes. He was now irritated.

"Hurry it up! We're going to be late!"

* * *

Aqualad, in tuxedo with blue vest and bowtie, sat on the edge of Raven's bed. He looked at his watch. "I think Speedy will have our heads if we're not down there soon."

She peeked her head out from the bathroom, four bright red eyes glaring out at him in mock anger. Her voice was playful. "Don't rush perfection."

He stayed quiet until she exited the bathroom, then he whistled softly. She looked at herself in the mirror as he approached from her behind with her cloak, now only a few shades darker than her dress. He put the cloak over her shoulders and clasped it closed before looking at their reflection in the mirror.

"What on earth is that black and white striped cloak in your closet for?"

Raven laughed softly. "It's for refereeing Stankball."

Aqualad blinked and then shook his head slowly. He decided to change subjects. "You look content."

Raven nodded, tilting her head back to catch his lips in a soft kiss. Her cloak faded to perfectly match the color of her dress. "That, and happy."

* * *

Back in the living room, Speedy was watching Bumblebee help Cyborg with his bowtie. Cyborg had gone with a grey vest and bowtie for his tuxedo, they matched his titanium armor nicely, but he couldn't work the bowtie. Not for lack of manual dexterity, he just couldn't tie the knot.

Aqualad and Raven walked in, arm in arm. They radiated towards the window and just stood there, looking out over the sea. Speedy turned towards the open door leading down the hall.

"Robin, Starfire, Beast Boy, Terra! The limo is here, move it!"

* * *

Robin adjusted his black bowtie and tapped lightly on Starfire's door, which opened quickly. He slipped inside and walked over to her. The alien girl had her hair and makeup done, but her dress was still hanging loosely off her shoulders.

"Ahh, love Robin, I am glad it is you. I require your assistance. I believe the phrase is that my zipper has stuck?" She turned her back to him, revealing that the zipper was indeed stuck. Had he not been trained by the dark knight himself, Robin most likely would have been reduced to a drooling idiot, but he was able to get her zipper unstuck and zip the dress up.

Starfire backed up slowly, ending up in his arms. They stood this way for a long moment before she spoke up. "Love Robin, we should hurry to join the others, but first I have to ask, what exactly is an opera, anyway?"

Robin smiled and kissed her cheek. She smiled and looked at him, eager to learn a new earthly custom. "Well, Star, an opera is like a play that's put to music. Everyone sings everything. And opening night can be a very formal affair, hence why we have to dress up."

Star nodded. "I am sure we shall have a glorious time. I have been looking forward to this since last week." She laced her fingers with his. "Come, let us not leave the others waiting."

* * *

Everyone was now waiting in the living room for the last remaining pair. Cyborg had been wasting the time by taking pictures of everyone with the camera in his arm. Eventually, they could hear a commotion coming from down the hall.

"But Terra…I looked it up, this opera is five hours long! Dude, you gotta let me bring the Gamestation Portable!"

They entered, Terra pushing him in. He stood there fidgeting in his tuxedo with dark green vest and bowtie. Terra looked like she had been in this argument for hours. "I think you can manage for just one night."

"But Terra…"

She closed her eyes and when she opened them back up, they were smoldering playfully. Beast Boy was hypnotized as she walked back towards him, her blonde hair flowing behind her. She leaned in and whispered something into his ear, causing him to tense up, then blush furiously, and finally melt into a small puddle on the floor. When he regained himself, he spoke very clearly.

"I think I can manage for just one night."

Cyborg, though, turned to Speedy. "Wait a minute, five hours?"

* * *

They were all in the limo and Speedy was fumbling around with the stereo system. Finally he found what he was looking for and pulled a tape from his pocket. He grinned and held it up for everyone to see.

"Ladies and gentlemen, I believe a little 'Bohemian Rhapsody' is in order?"

The other guys laughed and cheered while the girls sighed. Starfire merely looked confused. Speedy placed the tape in the tape player and the Queen song picked up in the middle as the limo drove down the tower access road. Speedy took the lead, pointing to Beast Boy.

"I see a little silhouette-o of a man."

All the boys joined in. "Scalamush, scalamush, will you do the fandango?"

Then everybody. "Thunderbolt and lightning, very very frightening me!"

Beast Boy and Speedy traded off. "Galileo." "Galileo." "Galileo." "Galileo, Figaro!" And then Robin, followed by everybody. "Magnifico!"

Beast Boy sang next. "I'm just a poor boy, nobody loves me."

Then Terra led everyone else. "He's just a poor boy, from a poor family. Spare him his life from this monstrosity!"

Beast Boy put on a hopeful face. "Easy come, easy go. Will you let me go?"

Raven led next, glowing black with four red eyes shining. "Visbillah NO! We will not let you go!"

Then Terra led. "Let him go!"

"Visbillah, we will not let you go!"

"Let him go!"

"Visbillah, we will not let you go!"

Then Beast Boy sang. "Let me go!"

"Will not let you go!"

"Let me go!"

Robin, Speedy, Aqualad, and Cyborg sang beneath the argument. "Never never never never let me go!"

Then everyone together. "No no no no no no no!"

Speedy. "Oh mama mia, mama mia."

Everyone. "Mama mia let me go!"

"Beelzebub has a devil put aside for me, for me, for meee!"

* * *

The boys all head banged as the song continued, leaving the girls laughing for miles down the road. 


	10. Fri Night In The Foyer Of Good And Evil

Hermione- Sheesh, I make one little slip up and I never hear the end of it.

That said, I don't own the titans. And there are only two chapters left after this one!

* * *

Chapter Ten: Friday Night In Foyer Of Good And Evil 

Starfire was giddy as they got out of the limo. "Friends, love Robin, the singing of that ancient song was glorious. As was the humorous banging of heads." Everyone was still laughing as they started to climb the stairs leading to the opera house.

All of the couples were walking arm in arm and Speedy was in the lead, walking alone. He had an eye out for what he was looking for. Cyborg tapped him on the shoulder. "So, man, where's your girl? I thought you said you had things covered. Or were you just bluffing?"

The crowds parted slightly and Speedy caught a flash of pink up ahead. He smiled. "Oh, I've got things worked out. Follow me." He slipped through the crowd and walked up behind a girl in a beautiful, curve hugging, red silk dress. The slit was high to mid thigh, and peeking out from under the dress was the bright white of bandages. For once, she wore her pink hair down. She was talking to two men, one short and uncomfortable in his tuxedo and the other huge and looking quite pleased.

Robin saw them, too. "It's the HIVE! Titans…"

He was cut short by Speedy. "No, Titans will not go. No one is causing any trouble tonight." The outburst caught the girl's attention and she slowly turned her pink, catlike eyes towards the commotion.

Speedy stood there looking at Jinx, and she returned his gaze. He held out his hand to her. "Truce?"

Jinx took his hand and slid up close to him, resting her free hand on his chest. "I suppose. Think your friends will take it well?"

Speedy shrugged. "Think yours will?"

Cyborg stared at the scene before him with eyes wide open. "Aw, man. Jinx is your date tonight?"

Jinx looked up at him and winked, leaning her head against Speedy's chest. "Finders keepers. Besides, you seem to be doing just fine for yourself." Cyborg blushed and turned around to find Bumblebee glaring at him.

Speedy turned to Robin, Jinx still in his arms. "Look, we have tickets, they have tickets, the only difference is we don't have to write a paper on the opera for school."

Jinx glared as the other titans snickered at their misfortune. She looked back up to Speedy. "If they're going to be like that, you should come sit with us."

Speedy smiled. "That's not going to help, we're all sitting together." He held up his ticket for comparison and sure enough, they were all in the same box. Everyone sweat dropped and sighed.

Starfire tugged on Robin's sleeve. "Love Robin, then we are to not treat the HIVE as evil for this night?" Speedy and Jinx looked anxiously at the leader of the titans as he thought it over.

Robin started slowly. "Well, they don't seem to be up to anything, and we'll all be in the same box so we can keep an eye on them. I guess just for tonight. But if they try anything, we'll stop them fast."

Speedy smiled and Jinx hugged him tightly. He then turned his attention towards the other HIVE students. "Gizmo, good seeing you. Mammoth, looking sharp." Gizmo just looked blank, but Mammoth smiled.

"Tuxedos make everyone look good."

* * *

Cyborg pulled Beast Boy and Gizmo aside. They hid behind one of the massive marble pillars in the foyer of the opera hall. The taller titan looked like he was hiding something, and he was. 

Cyborg looked down at the little men. "Okay, I think we can all agree that none of us are looking forward to being crammed in an opera hall for five hours, correct?" All three heads nodded. "Good. Therefore, I present to you…this!" He pulled out the Gamestation cartridge for Super Land Racer 4.

Gizmo sighed. "That's great, scrap for brains, but we have no console to play it on."

Cyborg glared. "Oh ye of little faith." With that he handed both of them a pair of glasses and a sheet of plastic the size of a credit card that had the design of a controller drawn on it. He rolled up his sleeve and put the cartridge in his arm and laughed as the other two gasped. The title screen for Super Land Racer 4 appeared in their glasses.

Beast Boy stood stock still. "Dude, this is sweet beyond anything you've ever done before."

Gizmo looked up at the metallic man. "I'm impressed. I'm in."

Suddenly, Bee and Terra appeared from either side of the column, sneaking up behind their dates. They spoke simultaneously. "Hey guys, whatcha doing?"

All three of the guys jumped up and fumbled with their glasses and controllers, hiding them behind their backs as they responded in concert. "Nothing!"

* * *

Speedy was leaning against a bust of Bach as he talked to Jinx. Even though there was nobody around them, there was hardly enough space to slide a sheet of paper between the two. She was looking up into his masked eyes, her own glowing pink with mock anger. 

"Speedy, you lied to me."

"I did not. I told you I had something to do with the guys. It just so happened we were going to go to the opera, too. How's the leg?"

She rested her head on his chest. "It's getting better. The stitches come out in a few days and I've been off the crutches since yesterday." She looked up, pouting. "And don't change the subject. You lied to me and you owe me."

Speedy laughed and leaned down, his lips inches away from hers. "What do I owe you?"

Jinx thought about it for a long time. "A backrub, and you have to change my bandages until my leg is healed." She would have continued, but Speedy leaned in and kissed her deeply. When they finally broke apart, she opened her eyes and swayed dizzily. Speedy kept an arm around her and held her close. Jinx sighed. "You know, the doctor says that I'll probably have a big scar on my leg."

Speedy kissed the top of her head. "I'm sure if you asked nicely and maybe apologized for going into her room, Raven might be able to do something about that. She's quite reasonable these days. Aqualad has been very good for her."

She smiled and grabbed him by the hand, pulling him to where the others were waiting. Her voice was silky smooth and left Speedy with a chill down his spine. "There's just something about dating a titan."


	11. Waiting For The Fat Lady

Nope, still don't own the titans...

* * *

Chapter Eleven: Waiting For The Fat Lady

The titans and HIVE students found their box easily. It was very spacious and had a wonderful view of the stage below. Starfire leaned out over the railing and took in the sight of the opera hall. Robin stood beside her telling her everything he could. Aqualad and Raven took their seats and started looking through the Playbill. She wrapped her arms around his and leaned her head on his shoulder as they read through the synopsis.

Aqualad read a note in the program and looked up towards the stage. "So they're projecting subtitles onto the wall above the stage? That's good."

Raven nodded. "This is so exciting, I can't believe we're here." She sighed and looked into his dark black eyes. "I wouldn't be here with anyone else."

Aqualad smiled and took her hand in his before giving her a soft kiss. "You're right. We should ask the HIVE to attack near the opera house every time a show is opening."

Raven looked around for the villains. Jinx and Speedy were similarly reading the Playbill and sitting close together. Mammoth was laughing at a joke that Beast Boy had explained to him and Gizmo was looking positively uncomfortable in his tuxedo, sitting in the corner of the box.

She smiled and caught Aqualad's eye again. "I don't think they'd do it, they have to write a paper, remember? But if you want to do this again, I can guarantee you won't go alone."

They were interrupted by the house lights flickering. Aqualad sat up and smiled. "Showtime."

The others took their seats in the box, which was set up for fifteen people with a row of seven in front and a row of eight in back. Being the only ones in the box, they were able to arrange themselves as they wanted. Gizmo sat in the front row with Beast Boy, Terra, Robin, Starfire, Aqualad, and Raven. Behind them, because of his height, sat Cyborg, then Bee, Speedy, Jinx, and Mammoth, who sat in the middle of the empty seats so as not to crowd anyone out.

As the lights dimmed, Cyborg tapped Gizmo on the shoulder. The short man looked back and grinned. He put his glasses on and Cyborg did the same. Beast Boy had his on already. Terra looked over at her date.

"I didn't know you wore glasses."

Beast Boy fumbled for an excuse. "Oh…um…well, I kinda wore these so I could look, you know, smart?"

Terra giggled. "That's silly, you always look smart. But if you want to, whatever." She shrugged and kissed him before returning her gaze to the stage as the curtain drew back to reveal the first act of the play.

Inside the three sets of glasses, three race cars toed the line, waiting for the green light.

* * *

Beast Boy smacked Cyborg on his metallic arm. "Look, I don't care how softly you say it. If we get caught, the girls will have our heads!"

Cyborg looked dejected. "But I always say 'boo-ya' when I win. Besides, those ears of yours would pick up a mouse sneezing on the other side of the theatre."

It was intermission, between the second and third acts, and they were milling around the foyer of the opera house and stretching their legs. Speedy hadn't been kidding when he said that the opera would last five hours.

Terra and Bee returned from the powder room and insinuated themselves into the arms of their respective dates. Terra was smiling happily. "This is amazing, I've never done anything like this before. I could live like this." She leaned against Beast Boy. "I feel like aristocracy."

Beast Boy smiled. "Nah, royalty. You look like a princess."

Terra giggled and kissed him on the cheek. "Well then, fair knight, why don't you go get this princess something to drink?"

Beast Boy slipped away, laughing. "Yes, your highness."

On his way to the concessions bar he passed by Speedy and Jinx. She was showing off her leg, perfectly healed and bandage free, which had been repaired, courtesy of Raven, in a few minutes in the powder room. He only caught a small bit of what Speedy was saying. "So, are we still on for tomorrow?" He laughed to himself, apparently they had been getting along well for a while now.

There was a short wait for Beast Boy to get two bottles of water. A quick look at the way he came revealed that it would take a long time to navigate the crowd, so he decided to take the short way. A few seconds later, a green eagle grasping two bottles of water took flight and flew to Terra. As he came closer, she saw him and held out her hands and took the bottles from him in mid-flight. A split second later he popped up beside her in human form.

Terra handed him a bottle and took a sip from her own. "Show off." Beast Boy just nodded.

* * *

The third and final act of The Mastersingers of Nuremberg was nearing completion. High up in the VIP box, the majority of the titans were caught up in the tale of love conquering all. Starfire was grateful she had learned to read English and sat in rapt attention, watching the denouement of the opera play out. Robin sat beside her, leaning back in his seat, her hand held safe within his.

Raven's head lay nestled in the crook of Aqualad's arm. Every so often she would look up to him, his black eyes concentrating on the drama before him. He would pick up on her gaze and look down at her for a second, then give a quick smile before they both returned their attention to the opera.

Behind them, Jinx rested her head upon Speedy's shoulder and Speedy rested his head upon Jinx. They, too, concentrated on the action on the stage below. Mammoth watched with the concentration of a seasoned opera buff, and Terra and Bumblebee both kept their arms wrapped around their date's arm. Only Cyborg, Beast Boy, and Gizmo wore masks of supreme concentration, manning their cars through a grand prix road course.

Down on the stage below, the finale neared the end, the last verse beginning. Beast Boy took the lead with only a half mile left on the course. The actors on stage all took their places, the finale rising to its peak. Gizmo pulled a wicked cut and run on Beast Boy, spinning both their cars out. Cyborg took the lead. The orchestra finished with a flourish and the curtain came down. The crowd in the opera hall cheered. Cyborg stood up, his arms upraised.

"BOO-YA!"

The other titans rose to join him, applauding loudly at a performance well done. Bee nudged him in the side. "I think you mean bravo, not boo-ya."

Cyborg looked around nervously. "Ummm…yeah. I meant bravo." He began to applaud politely. Behind him, Beast Boy was staring daggers at Gizmo.

* * *

The titans walked down the stairs of the opera house to the valet. The clock atop the opera house struck midnight and there was a chill in the air. Raven had her cloak on, but Aqualad stood behind her with his arms around her to keep her warm. Even though Starfire was warm in any weather, she and the other girls all wore the tuxedo jackets of their dates. As they waited for their limo to pull up, Speedy suddenly realized the evening was coming to an end.

Jinx realized this, too, and slipped from his jacket. He took it from her and put it back on before holding her close, wrapping her up as best he could to keep her warm. This left her very close to him and easily able for them to share a quiet conversation.

Speedy kissed the top of her head. "Tomorrow at six?"

Jinx snuggled in closer, her voice dreamy. "Lasagna."

A black car pulled up and Gizmo and Mammoth walked towards it. Gizmo called back over his shoulder. "Come on, Jinx. You turn into a pumpkin at midnight."

Jinx reluctantly pulled away but before she could get very far she was back in Speedy's arms, locked in a kiss that warmed her to the very core. He broke the kiss slowly, hesitantly, and whispered softly into her ear. "Good night."

She nodded and turned; he followed and helped her into the car, closing the door behind her before the car sped off. He returned to his fellow titans who stared quietly at him. Speedy cleared his throat and turned to Cyborg, grinning like the Cheshire cat.

"See, I told you I had it worked out."


	12. Apotheosis

Pickles and Rupert, thank you for your reviews. I'm glad you're enjoying the story.

Final chapter! Please continue posting reviews if you enjoyed this story, I love the feedback.

That said, I give you my standard disclaimer. I still don't own the titans.

* * *

Chapter Twelve: Apotheosis 

Speedy was up early, with a cup of coffee in hand. It was unusual for him to be the first one up, but his sleep had been interrupted and he decided to just cut his losses and wake up early. He could hear Aqualad singing something in Atlantian to himself as he walked down the hall and into the living room.

Speedy nodded to his compatriot and hid a smile with his coffee mug. Something was up and he knew it. "So, how did your evening with Raven go?"

Aqualad shrugged. "Oh, it was alright." Since Speedy had his date with Jinx, all the other resident couples in the tower decided that they would go out, too. With Jump City being so big, it wasn't really any surprise that no one saw anyone else the entire night.

Speedy scratched his head. "Just alright? Because I noticed you came in from the right hall today. Our guest rooms are down the left hall. Unless I'm mistaken, Raven's room is down the right hall."

Aqualad paled. "Umm…yeah. Look, let's not mention this to anyone."

"I think that can be arranged."

They were interrupted by Terra wandering into the kitchen dressed in short shorts and a green football jersey that Beast Boy wore when they played flag football. Aqualad raised his eyebrows and looked to Speedy who had a similar reaction.

Terra waved shyly at them and looked around the kitchen. "Hey guys, where does BB keep the tofu? I want to make him breakfast."

Speedy pointed. "In the fridge."

Terra nodded and opened up the fridge, leaning in to look for the tofu eggs and bacon. Behind her, sitting at the table, the two male east titans soaked in the view and nearly choked on their coffee. Aqualad recovered first and turned to Speedy. "How did your evening with Jinx go?"

Robin turned the corner into the room, followed by a hovering Starfire. Her normally straight red hair was as messy as Robin's. Aqualad shook his head and Speedy looked down into his coffee. Starfire caught their reaction and tried her best to smile an innocent smile. She failed. Robin headed to the coffeepot. "Yeah, Speedy, how did that go?"

Speedy smiled. "It was great. Dinner at Pasta Luna, then we caught a movie. Then she asked me to help with her opera paper. Believe it or not, we actually had fun doing that."

Terra piped up from the kitchen. "You helped her with her paper? How did you do that? She said it was ten pages and you'd need a computer or something to write it all out."

Speedy looked a little nervous. "Um, yeah. Listen, Robin, about that…"

Before he could continue, a very tired looking Jinx with her pink hair down, wearing a pair of black shorts with HIVE in yellow letters on the backside and a long t-shirt that obviously belonged to Speedy, walked into the room. "You guys got any coffee?"

Aqualad punched Speedy in the shoulder and grinned. Robin froze, and the coffee he was pouring spilt down the sides of the mug. He was shocked back into reality by the hot liquid burning his gloved hand. He put his mug down and got a dishtowel. Despite it all, he was smiling. "Yeah, Jinx, we got coffee. Three kinds. What do you drink?"

She looked over to Speedy and winked. "I'll have what he's having."

* * *

The combined titans were gathered in the living room. Anyone walking in would have thought the atmosphere in the room resembled a trail by jury. Jinx had seated herself in Speedy's lap and was looking across at the others. Starfire was again confused and held onto Robin's hand. "Love Robin, then we are not to consider Jinx as evil anymore?" 

Jinx sighed. "Look, this isn't a decision that I just made. Honestly I've been thinking of it for a while. Since Cyborg got into the academy. It got me thinking, you guys always have fun and you stick together. I can't imagine what it would be like to not have to worry about being stabbed in the back by a teammate."

Cyborg shifted a little. "Yeah, that reminds me, I never did get a chance to apologize. I'm sorry."

Jinx looked up and smiled. "It's okay. And then with Speedy here, well, I don't know. I guess I'm going soft or something. I really don't feel like going back to the academy tomorrow and then starting all over again, especially knowing that I might have to fight him again. Maybe next time he won't get out of the building in time." She shivered softly.

Speedy put his arms around her and held her tight, reassuring her. Across the room, Robin shook his head. "Jinx, this is all well and good, but I don't think there's any way we could let you into the titans."

The witch sighed and looked down at the carpeted floor. "That's okay, I'm still going to put in my resignation letter tomorrow, anyway. If I'm not fighting with you guys, at least I won't be fighting against you."

Robin nodded and smiled a little before he looked over at Bumblebee. She rose and walked over to the witch. In her hand she held a communicator. "I think what he means is that his team is full. We've got a room you could have in the east tower. Besides, I need a girlfriend to hang out with. Those four guys drive me crazy sometimes."

Jinx looked up, a genuine smile on her face. She took the communicator and rose, giving Bee a hug, her pink eyes tearing up. Her expression then changed a little as she looked around. She had her trademark mischievous grin on her face. "Hey, do you guys have any stationary that has a Teen Titans letterhead on it?"

* * *

The headmistress of HIVE academy walked through the halls slowly. It was just another Monday morning and classes would be starting soon. She made her way to her office and checked the mailbox. Sure enough, resting in the slot were three typewritten papers, each appreciably thick. 

She fixed a cup of coffee and started reading through the first one, Gizmo's. His writing style was short and choppy. He seemed to have either not paid attention to the performance or was in some other way distracted. He had probably brought some form of video game. In retrospect, she realized that she hadn't specified that he shouldn't bring anything like that. However, the general tone of the paper seemed to be that he enjoyed the experience.

After that was Mammoth's paper. His writing was simpler, but still choppy. Despite that, he seemed to get a lot out of the performance. Her only complaint was that for some reason, he kept going on and on about how he got to wear a tuxedo. She smiled; the simple things in life are usually the most pleasing.

Finally, she started into Jinx's paper. She read through the work, which was well written and obviously had been well thought out. It was the best paper of the three, not surprising to her at all. Jinx was one of the HIVE's best students. She finished the paper and turned to the last page. It was written on different paper, this paper had a letterhead with a dark blue 'T' in a circle on it. She read the address and gasped. The letterhead was from the Teen Titans.

Headmistress,

Due in no small part to your decision to culture me by a night at the opera, I have been exposed to many different influences. The most lasting of which, I have decided, has been the titans, with whom we shared box seats. After a long discussion and some searching, but with no hesitancy, I have decided to accept their offer to become a member of the Titans East.

Please find this to be my letter of resignation, effective immediately.

Sincerely,

Jinx

* * *

THE END of A NIGHT AT THE OPERA

But don't worry, the Teen Titans will be back in...

BETWEEN LIFE AND BURNING SPACE

The second book in the "The Life Heroic" series.


End file.
